A two-year-old Domestic Short-hair cat called Winnie has finally been granted her New Year’s wish and was the last resident of the year to be rehomed from Battersea in 2023 after spending almost 200 days in the charity’s care.
Battersea is shining a light on cats like Winnie and celebrating their true unbridled cattitude to mark the 140th anniversary of the much-loved charity first taking in cats, providing them with the love, fuss and expert care they deserve.
Winnie was brought to Battersea’s Old Windsor centre as a stray along with her five kittens, who she gave birth to shortly before her arrival. To ensure she was as comfortable as possible and in a calm and relaxed home environment after giving birth, Winnie and her kittens were taken on foster by one of Battersea’s dedicated Foster Carers, who looked after them until they were ready for homes to call their own.
Whilst the quintet of kittens were soon rehomed to loving families, Winnie needed some extra support from Battersea’s expert veterinary team, meaning she stayed in the charity’s care for much longer. The team sprang into action and put her on a personalised treatment plan and she soon started feeling better, meaning she was finally ready for a loving home.
After 195 days in Battersea’s care, Winnie was spotted by a couple based in London who fell in love with her affectionate nature and knew she was the cat for them. They took her home on New Year’s Eve, making 2024 sure to be her best year yet. Since being rehomed, Winnie has settled in well and has been enjoying playing with her abundance of new toys and snuggling on her new owners’ laps for a snooze.
Hazel Adams, Cattery Team Leader at Battersea, said: “We are so glad that Winnie has started off the new year in a loving new home after a long stay with us, which was made even more exciting as we are currently celebrating 140 years of caring for cats! Getting Winnie ready to find a new home was a real team effort from our dedicated clinic team, cattery staff, Foster Carers and volunteers who looked after her during her stay; everyone at here at Battersea is over the moon that she has finally found a family who loves her just as much as we do.”
To find out more about Battersea’s 140th anniversary of cats, or to rehome a cat from Battersea, find out more on the website: https://www.battersea.org.uk/.
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Notes to editors
· At Battersea we offer our love and expert care to dogs and cats who need us by rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals at our centres, and by sharing our knowledge and resources with rescue organisations around the world. We do this because we want to help every dog and cat, everywhere.
· In 2022 Battersea directly cared for 2,278 dogs and 2,253 cats at our three centres. We also helped thousands more through our Communities programme, campaigning work, supporting other rescue centres and animal welfare advocates, and sharing knowledge and advice with pet owners.
· We’re reliant on the generosity of the public to continue to fund our vital work helping dogs and cats and the people who care for them. To donate to Battersea, visit: https://donate.battersea.org.uk.
· In addition to the site in South West London, Battersea also has two other centres based at Old Windsor, Berkshire and Brands Hatch, Kent.
· To find out more visit our website or follow Battersea on Twitter @battersea_ , Instagram @battersea or facebook.com/Battersea.